Small teams (6)

I believe the answer is:

cadres

(Other definitions for cadres that I've seen before include "Inner groups of activists" , "fighting units" , "Scared of military units" , "Scared of army units" .)

I've seen this clue in The Wall Street Journal.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.